(a) whether the Bharat Immunologicals and Biologicals Corporation Limited (BIBCOL) has
remained under-utilized since its inception;
(b) if so, whether lack of proper planning and implementation of the project for production
of Oral Polio Vaccine and delay in fulfilling the World Health Organisations requirements
were the main reasons;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps being by the Government to restructure and revamp the BIBCOL?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR EARTH SCIENCES
(ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b) No, Sir.
(c) BIBCOL was set up with the objective of production and supply of Oral Polio Vaccine to theMinistry of Health & Family Welfare to meet their requirement for National Immunization Programme.However, lack of sufficient order in the beginning and later the entry of private manufacturers in the production of OPV as well as the purchase policy of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare throughtender abolishing price preference to PSU resulted in under utilization of BIBCOL’s capacity ofproduction over the years, although BIBCOL subsequently fulfilled all the WHO regulatory requirements and domestic requirements with respect to supply of OPV.
(d) Transfer of the management control of BIBCOL from the Department of Biotechnology to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has been agreed to between the two Ministries.